What Doctors Don't Tell YouAvoid the following, which can cause cancer
* Radiation therapy, such as for cancer (J Natl Cancer Inst, 2001; 93: 618-29)
* Hormones, diethylstilboestrol (DES, the ‘thalidomide drug’), HRT and the Pill all increase risk by up to 70 times (Nurs Pract, 2003; 28: 26-32, 35; Can Med Assoc J, 2002; 166: 1017-22; Lancet, 1989; i: 973-82)
* Statins, if you are under age 55 (J Clin Epidemiol, 2003; 56: 280-5)
* High-blood-pressure drugs, such as calcium-channel blockers, particularly if you are also taking oestrogen drugs (Cancer, 1997; 80: 1438-47)
* Tricyclic antidepressants (Br J Cancer, 2002; 86: 92-7)
* Parabens (methyl-, propyl-, ethyl-, butyl-), commonly used in deodorants, foods, drugs and cosmetics (J Appl Toxicol, 2004; 24: 5-13; J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol, 2002; 80: 49-60)
* Dark or red hair dyes, implicated in studies of hairdressers
* Shift-working, which can moderately increase risk due to suppression of melatonin (J Natl Cancer Inst, 2001; 93: 1563-8)
* Excessive exposure to electromagnetic fields (for example, those working as telephone operators or installers, or computer programmers) (Ann Epidemiol, 2000; 10: 31-44)
* Wearing a bra for more than 12 hours a day, as this blocks the lymphatic system, causing toxins to pool (Townsend Lett Docs, Feb/March, 1996)
* Garden pesticides, such as DDT, dieldrin, polychlorinated biphenols and dioxins, which are all oestrogen mimickers (Int J Occup Med Environ Health, 2003; 16: 113-24).
Do the following, which lowers your risk
* Eat organic unprocessed foods
* Wash off the pesticides from non-organic fruit and vegetables
* Filter your water (reverse osmosis is best)
* Use deodorants, makeup and toiletries without parabens, TEA, DEA and artificial sunscreens
* Drink red wine, which decreases cancer risk (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2000; 9: 151-60)
* If you drink other types of alcohol, take a daily vitamin supplement
* Take regular exercise and keep your weight down
* Sleep in the dark
* If you’re a night-shift worker, take melatonin supplements (Histol Histopathol, 2000; 15: 637-47)
* Drink green tea daily; it halves breast-cancer risk (Int J Cancer; 2003; 106: 574-9)
* Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, particularly broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables.
Maryon Stewart
Daniel Redwood DC
Tom Ferguson MD